I sat down my son, placed my hands on his shoulders.

Confused, he tilted his head and looked at me.

My eyes lowered, then shifted to a picture of the most beautiful woman you could imagine.
Her smile, her eyes, her hair, her.

It pained me to see her beauty and not be able to have it.

My son shifted his gaze to the picture, and then back to me when my grip began to tighten.

“When I was your age,” I began, “I’d give anything to fall in love truly.”
I continued to stare at the laminated angel. “That’s when I met your mother, she was everything I could’ve dreamed. Believe it or not, she first spoke to me. She said ‘I know shouldn’t say anything, but the way you’re staring at me, I can tell by your eyes that you’re in love with me.’ And she sure as hell wasn’t wrong.”

“We were too young and too dumb to notice or care. We’d laugh at the stars and tell each other everything. We’d drink and laugh at all the stupid things we’ve done. We’d share our secrets, our hopes, our dreams. She was absolutely everything to me.”

My son lowered his head and sat back in his seat. His eyes focused on a dark spot on the wood floor, but his ear intentively listened to my every word.

“Heh, I remember the day I swore she’d be mine. We had hiked across the lake and hid in a forest of pine. I pulled out a gift box, just big enough for what was inside. I took her hand and she held onto mine. I placed the box in her hand, her confused stare lit up in my eyes. I promised her, we’d be just fine. I said, ‘open with care. Now, I’m asking you please, you know that I love you, will you marry me?”

I swore my chest caved and my body went weak. I tugged at my shirt and cursed under my breath. Tears of pain soon dropped to the ground. My son hardly made a sound. He put his hand on my shoulder, made me sit up, he told me he loved me and said he wouldn’t give up.

“Why’re you telling me all of these things?”

My mind went fuzzy and my voice became broken as I tried to explain to him why.
“Son, I’m only telling you this because life can do terrible things. You’ll learn one day, and I’ll hope and I’ll pray that God shows you differently.”

I wiped my face and let out a deep sigh. I collected myself and began to show him why.

“Your mother, she had this look on her face. I couldn’t tell if it was hurt or disgrace. She held my hand, tighter than she ever did before. She simply said, ‘Can I tell you a terrible thing?... It seems that I’m sick and I’ve only got weeks. Please don’t be sad now, I really believe you were the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

My voice became nothing, and I shattered glass. I threw my phone and flipped over the table. My son jumped up, he backed away from me. I fell to my knees, just as I did that day. He kneeled infront of me and gave a look of dismay.

"So don’t fall in love,” I cried, “there’s just too much to lose! If you’re given the choice then I beg that you choose to walk away! Don’t let her get you! I can’t bare to see this thing happen to you! Now son, I’m only telling you this because life...can do terrible things...”